Fried Shallots & Shallot Oil (Hom Daeng Jiaw, Naam Man Hom Daeng)

A Thai Recipe from Chef Andy Ricker's Pok Pok Cookbook

Fried shallots and the resulting oil (Hom Daeng Jiaw and Naam Man Hom Daeng) is a basic preparation often used in Thai cooking. Here it is used to garnish the Coconut Rice & Sweet Pork (Khao Man Som Tam) menu from the Pok Pok cookbook by Chef Andy Ricker. You can see the entire recipe by following the link.

Pok Pok Papaya Salad with Coconut Rice & Sweet Pork
(Click to enlarge)

Fried Shallots & Shallot Oil (Hom Daeng Jiaw & Naam Man Hom Daeng)

Special equipment

• A fine-mesh strainer

Ingredients

• 3 ounces peeled small shallots, preferably Asian (about 6)
• About 2 cups vegetable oil (not olive oil)

Make the Tamarind Water

1. Halve the shallots lengthwise, remove the peel, and slice them against the grain as thinly as you can. (To do it especially quickly and accurately, use a mandoline.) You’re shooting for slices that are all about 1/16-inch thick.
2. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a heatproof container. Pour enough oil into a small pan to reach a depth of 3/4 inch or so. Set the pan over high heat and bring the oil to 275°F. (Or test whether the oil is hot enough: as soon as a piece of shallot added to the oil bubbles right away, add the rest.) Add the shallots, then immediately turn the heat to low (don’t be tempted to rush the process with high heat), and stir once or twice.
3. Cook, stirring and scraping the sides occasionally and adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle sizzle, until the shallots are deep golden brown and completely crisp, 10 to 20 minutes. If the process takes less time, that means the oil is too hot and you risk a bitter result. You’ll quickly get the hang of it.
4. Pour the pan’s contents through the strainer, reserving the flavorful oil. Gently shake the strainer, then transfer the shallots to paper towels to drain and cool in more or less one layer. Because the shallots continue to cook after they leave the oil, by this time they will have gone from deep golden brown to deep brown.
5. The fried shallots will keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place (not in the fridge) for up to 2 days. Any more and you risk losing crunch and flavor. The strained oil keeps in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: Makes about 5 to 6 tablespoons fried shallots and about 2 cups of oil

See the complete Pok Pok menu for Coconut Rice & Sweet Pork (Khao Man Som Tam).

Image of Andy Ricker By Takeaway (Own work) CC-BY-SA-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Pok Pok: Food & Stories from the Streets, Homes, & Roadside Restaurants of Thailand

The Pok Pok Cookbook is available at Portland's finest independent bookstore, Powell's Books and wherever books are sold. Pre-order now, shipping after October 29, 2013. Order 2 copies for free shipping from Powell's, see their site for details!

Authors: Andy Ricker with JJ Goode

Recipe & Image Copyright © 2013 Pok Pok: Food and Stories from the Streets, Homes, and Roadside Restaurants of Thailand; Images and Recipes are used with permission; published by Ten Speed Press; ISBN 9781607742883